


Ace Marks the Spot

by allthehearteyes, caitlesshea



Series: Nothing but Fluff [2]
Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Fluff, HEA, Love, M/M, Sweetness, scavenger hunt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-04 16:32:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16350194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthehearteyes/pseuds/allthehearteyes, https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitlesshea/pseuds/caitlesshea
Summary: Adrian wakes up alone.  Where is Deran?This occurs after caitlesshea's AceD.





	Ace Marks the Spot

**Author's Note:**

> The extremely gifted caitlesshea coauthored this sweet fic with me. Her awesome talents and rad ideas have inspired me. Together we’re going to try and create some more fluffy goodness for our boys. There are a few more waiting in the wings.
> 
> Thanks for building this HEA world for D&A with me.
> 
> Iresposts I think you’re right. caitlesshea and I DO make pretty fic babies together. Lol.

Adrian rolls over in their bed and is greeted by a hard edge and a tinkling sound. Bleary eyed he looks over and sees a tray with a couple of blueberry lemon pancakes (Deran’s secret specialty and Adrian’s all time favorite), a travel cup of what’s likely coffee and a folded piece of paper. Adrian opens the paper as he sips his caffeinated brew. He reads:

_Morning Ace,_

_Hope you slept well. Eat up because you’re going to need it. This is a scavenger hunt kid. Come find me!_

_Come to the place_

_Where we roll on the waves_

_The place where we watch_

_The water for days_

_X,_

_D_

He’s intrigued. Not entirely sure what is going on, but definitely willing to play along. He does a quick mental check and knows he isn’t missing any birthdays or anniversaries, so whatever this is, it’s something Deran has cooked up on his own.

When he gets to the pier he walks over to the area where Deran jumped off and into the water that day with all their friends. He sees a rope tied to the railing and when he looks down towards the water, he laughs. He uses the rope to pull up the skateboard. Obviously Deran’s thoughts running similar to Adrian’s and the last time they were here. He gets the symbolic gesture of bringing the skateboard up over the ledge as well. He sees a note taped to the skateboard in a plastic bag.

Smiling, Adrian unfolds the next clue. It reads:

_Come to where_

_You hone your craft_

_Of beauty molded,_

_Fore and aft_

Adrian gets to the surf shop and is glad he thought to bring his keys. He doesn’t think he’s ever been here this early. Once inside, he heads to the back, and stops in his tracks. A bright orange board is laying on the stand, one that was not there when he left last night. He walks over to it, and can’t help but admire how nice it is. It looks so similar to the one he had tried to bring to South Africa. The one that almost ruined them. And then he sees it, in the center of the board, in black bold letters - _ **“ACE”**_. Deran got him a custom board, he thinks, as he runs his hand across the letters. He can’t believe it. He’s in such a state of shock, he almost misses the note taped to the board.

Chuckling, Adrian reaches for the clue. It reads:

_Come to the place_

_We love to eat_

_The spot where XGames_

_And A. did meet_

He gets to the outdoor taco spot. The place where he interrupted Deran’s ‘date’ with Linc. _Pound sand motocross!_ He searches around but can’t find the clue anywhere. The teenager behind the counter asks, ‘Can I get you anything?’ Adrian distractedly replies, ‘No, but thanks’, as he continues to look. The teen girl tries again, ‘Are you sure? The number 7 is really good. It’s new to the menu’. Not wanting to be rude he turns to tell her he’s not hungry and sees she’s giggling a little and pointing up at the menu board above. He glances up and sees **#7. D &A - Delicious & Awesome street tacos. **The girl behind the counter giggles some more as she hands him a basket with a couple of grilled fish tacos (his favorite) and a folded note on top. She explains, ‘He told me to look for a freckled ginger looking confused…and cute.’

_Laughing, Adrian quickly grabs the note. It reads:_

_Come to the place_

_Of reconnection_

_A gifted photo_

_And heart’s affection_

He quickly consumes his tacos, shoveling down the last quick bite as he heads to his car and to his next destination.

Adrian practically pulls the door off the hinges as he enters The Drop and immediately heads to the back office. It’s empty but for some faint music playing. _Is that OAR’s Hands Up? Love that song._ Adrian spots his clue on Deran’s desk and eagerly opens it. It reads:

_Turn around_

_And let me see_

_Those beautiful blues_

_So true and deep_

Adrian turns to see Deran leaning against the door frame with a small smile on his lips. Adrian is beaming and laughing as he strides toward Deran. He is intent on kissing the breath out of him for this playful game. He is stopped short by Deran’s out stretched hand holding an envelope. Adrian furrows his brow a bit as he looks at Deran’s face. There’s been no change in his smile as he merely nods at the envelope. Adrian takes it and pulls out two folded pieces of paper. The first one reads:

_I’ve done it now_

_All because of you_

_In deed my love_

_We start anew_

Brow still furrowed he glances up at Deran’s slightly bigger smile as he nods at the second paper. Adrian opens up the other piece of paper. Title of Ownership: Deran Cody. The deed to the building! _Holy shit!_ Eyes huge, mouth slightly open, he looks at Deran who is smiling big and bright. Adrian stares, and gasps, ‘You did it. You did it!’ Deran steps forward and finally holds Adrian in his arms. They are squeezing one another tight and laughing. Deran whispers in Adrian’s ear, ‘I’m done. I’m out.’

They pull back from one another a little bit. Blue holding blue. Both grinning, both sets of eyes slightly wet. Deran says, ‘Thank you. It’s always been you, ya know? Let’s start this thing’. Adrian replies, ‘I’d follow you anywhere. Hunt for you.’ Smiling, they blink at each other, Adrian states, ‘I love you D’ and Deran replies, ‘I love you Ace’. They kiss. It’s sweet. It’s firm. It’s connected.

This was something he didn’t know they needed, a new chapter in their story. As Deran walks him backwards towards the couch and the kiss becomes more heated, he can’t help but think he hopes Deran locked door. Not quite willing to relive that particular moment of Billy walking in on their afterglow, in this day down memory lane.

‘I locked the door’, Deran says, as he breaks the kiss. Adrian laughs, not even going to question how Deran knew what he was thinking.

‘Good’, he says back, breathless, and then he kisses Deran again as he lands on the couch, with Deran on top of him, and it’s his last thought before he’s consumed with passion.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read. 
> 
> *find us on Tumblr*


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